FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter -4-

A Twist in the Moment

December 2, 2023 - 10:10pm North San Francisco ...

** Aris Falcon tilted his head,** eyes raking over Krys in a way that made her feel small and weak under his gaze. His eyes raked over her figure. She swallowed back the hint of trepidation. "Reno Nevada is off the grid. But I've had Frank Sanders put out a BOLO for his 2003 Monte Carlo."

A slight smile found its way to the corner of his mouth. The smile faded. "You're an asset to my operation because of your ability, Krys. You've earned your place as part of my small family because you've always been on point. However, orchestrating the termination of Nevada's job will complicate things. Now that he's been fired, we could lose track of Nichole Parker's fiancée for good. He is far more dangerous in the wind than in a shallow grave. Are we on the same page?"

Monroe frowned and fidgeted. "He came back once to try and get revenge. He was shocked to death by lightning; I was given the opportunity to peruse his corpse myself. He was dead. In fact, he was all gnarled and because he was wet when he was struck, he was...a mess."

"So he's a healer. Find him and use healer-class takedown tactics."

"Aris, the fact that he's somehow alive..." She licked her lips then bit her lower one. "I won't lie. I'm angry. I thought he was out of my way for good. And now he's back? And with a new power? Yes, I had him fired, but don't worry. I've got Anne watching his apartment. She's also found the gypsy girl, Abby Chase..." Krys' expression brightened. "And I've brought you this," she added at the very end, passing a piece of paper to Falcon. "Oh, and welcome home."

The contents listed everything printed out on the police printer lab, including a thesis on Reno Nevada's blood alterations. Aris' smile returned. His eyes continued down the page, then the weak smile broadened into a smirk, finally melting into a grin.

"Pleased, Aris?"

"Very. Your connection with Frank Sanders has paid off. Now, there's one thing left to do. We need to find Topaz Parker because she hasn't manifested. I've come to learn that it's easier to deal with people who are powerless. Try to find Fara and see if you can use her to track down Topaz."

"Fara has gone to a safe house."

Aris folded his arms. The augmentations in his eyes caused his pupils to adjust in size, scrutinizing her facial features in a seemingly mechanical way.

"Aris..." Krys frowned under his admonishing gaze. "I know we were friends, but I'm not letting my personal friendship with her stand in the way of our objectives. She has completely disappeared with the Parker baby."

"Very well. You have a man who was a professional tracker in his previous career...Mr. Zukis. Have him find Topaz. Make sure they're heavily armed."

"I thought you want her alive."

"She won't die. Topaz is special. She has the natural Parker family grace, dexterity and agility, but you know I did experiments on both twins. Her new ability hasn't yet manifested. Like Mr. Nevada, it's possible that putting her body in shock will cause her ability to manifest."

"Just remember our deal...Andrea knows nothing of our main objective. She's innocent, I love her for it," Krys explained.

Aris nodded then leaned forward. He brushed his lips against Krys' forehead. "I read the report that Fox Parker survived the attack on the yacht; is there news of his current whereabouts?"

"No, sir; both Fox Parker and Reno Nevada were presumed dead. They may both have been lucky to live but I'll have the house in order, very soon. If you don't mind my asking, why did you suddenly change your mind about Fox?"

"I kept him long enough for experimentation. I have a sperm sample. Enough has been extracted that I can use it in lieu of him. The fact remains that Fox has become a liability. A problem. Topaz will survive under any condition and that is all that matters. I need her to conceive to give birth to the final artifact necessary to access the city beneath the Atlantic. I had hopes that genetically engineering them to be drawn to one another would cause them to copulate naturally. Then I would simply take the child. But he's been helping the succubus to attack my men. Fox needs to die. Topaz needs to be brought in by any means necessary so I can inseminate her. Do you understand now?"

"I...you've gone through such great lengths to make this happen. And you've been so patient to engineer the twins from conception, twenty-five years ago. I'm starting to understand why all of this means so much to you. How did you manage to engineer them in such a way?"

"Jon and Sinopa Parker wanted to have children. They knew I was a geneticist. I offered to act as a fertility doctor. I extracted an egg from the kitsune and a sperm sample from Jon Parker. I made the necessary DNA engineering on the samples, combined them in a laboratory, and shortly after the zygote stage, I implanted the growth into Sinopa Parker."

"Like a surrogate mother?"

"To her own biological children, but yes." Falcon paused then tilted his head. "Anything else?"

"I...no, Aris. I had no idea how much you've put into this. How high of a priority is Fox's death?"

"It's not necessary. But if the opportunity presents itself, take it. He has become annoying."

"And the succubus?"

Falcon smiled, eyes sparkling. "I have a new plan to take care of her. I would like to experiment on her. If you can capture her, bring her to me. If not, it's no issue - she'll present herself to me in due time. And when she comes to find me, I'll handle her personally. I'm growing sick of her killing our people. One way or another, she will be dealt with."

Krys eyed him, gauging his expression. "You...knew she would survive the attacks in August?"

"This isn't the first time I've dealt with her. I met her in the 80's working with Jon Parker. I met her again in 1999, but had her memory of that time stripped from her. I anticipated a lot of supernatural people to stand in my way during this operation...thankfully all of them perished during the August attacks. Except Nathanial Carrington, Sinopa Crevan, Karla Howard and Jon Parker."

"Oh?"

"I designed the EMP bomb my team used on Carrington. I have assurances from a higher power that Sinopa will not be allowed to interfere. I'm told her memories of the modern day have been wiped. Jon Parker was my best work thusfar. I killed Parker with that virus we found in the vial in the city beneath Colorado in 2011. I thought it was discrete. I assumed Fara and the baby would stay in the Parker mansion."

"I am sorry I lost them, Aris. I'm not sure who tipped her off to go into hiding. I can only assume Fox warned her when he escaped the lab."

"Quite right."

"And the succubus?"

"She's the last one standing. I expected her the easiest to kill or disable. But I had a contingency plan for the troublemakers that I knew personally. That's why I've rescinded the kill order on her recently. I've decided to play matchmaker, as you call it, and Sire found Eric after he left your club. Your little lie worked. He went straight to Sire. Now Sire has ordered Eric to fall in love with the succubus."

"I'm not sure I follow how Eric Loupe and Karla Howard having a relationship is going to work in our favor."

"Just trust me."

"Yes, of course. I always have." Krys rubbed her thumb against the side of her forefinger. "So, I saw you have travel plans this evening. Landing in Bucharest then a train to Cluj-Napoca?"

"Romania, my dear."

"Oh! The gypsies! Have you found the last fragment of the gypsy seed?"

"I've located it and hopefully, after tonight, I'll have it. The gypsies are growing restless and may run with it. So, due to timing, I have to leave today. Why don't you check on our guest? He'll become quite helpful soon."

"I'll let you know if there are any developments, Aris. You have nothing to worry about. Good luck on your trip. I'll text George and have him hunt down the Parker girl right away." Krys turned back to the lengthy hallway behind her and sauntered towards a room at the end. She knocked on the door and waited for a muffled word of permission before stepping into the bedroom.

X

---

X

December 3, 2023 - 1:20am Millbrae, California ...

** Topaz sighed softly, standing in the mouth of an alley.** She glanced from left to right. Silence. She scanned a diner with a few cars in the lot. She reached up and rubbed her shoulder, sore from the two hour nap she took on her back beneath an overpass.

"I know I could steal some money or food but I'm Topaz Parker. I'm supposed to be rich. I aced the survival tests overseas. This shouldn't be a big deal for me."

Parker reached into her pocket and pulled out ten dollars. With only enough to get a burger and a coffee, she stepped out of the alley and crossed the street, heading towards an all-night diner.

Topaz stepped inside and settled into the booth that had the least amount of people around it. A television behind the bar crackled, rife with static. A lady behind the counter tried playing with the antennas each time she walked past the television. The static remained intermittent.

It wasn't the snowy kind of static, but the pulsing lines, as if there was some sort of electronic interference nearby.

Parker surveyed the patrons. A bald guy drank coffee at the bar counter. Two guys sat in the back corner. She counted a black gentleman and his wife in the second booth from the back and a Mexican guy in the seat closest to the entrance rounded out the clientele.

The guy drinking coffee at the counter occasionally turned his head to carry on a conversation with the Mexican guy. Topaz kept to herself.

She wondered if these people thought of her as some sort of whore or homeless slob walking around. She looked down at her dirty clothes and sighed.

She placed her hand on a lump in her front pocket - an artifact she found and stolen without help. Parker's thoughts turned to Vincent Nevada. She relived the moment of his death. Now she needed to find the boy's brother and tell him all the details. Topaz's mind wondered back to Vincent and his brave final moments. Her eyes remained forward, on everything in the diner.

A lady approached her booth with a pencil and pad ready.

"What can I getcha, sweetheart?" asked the lady. She wore too much eye shadow and vibrant makeup. Brilliant pink cheeks and thickly painted lips, the waitress looked as though she'd made out with a crayon. Her nametag read 'Lucy.'

"Coffee and a cheeseburger, add everything but onions. What'll that run?" Topaz asked.

"For you, honey? I'll do it for four dollars, seventy-five cents; cream or sugar in your coffee?"

Enough left over for a tip and a bottle of water. Topaz smiled, sold on the price. "Sure, both." The lady scribbled something down then gave Topaz a soft smile. The woman went back behind her counter, stopped to fidget with the television again, and then threw her hands up in disgust.

Lucy lifted her pad, glanced over the order, and leaned into an empty window frame, which separated the counter area from the kitchen. She cleared her throat and said, "All right, Jim! Cheeseburger - deluxe on the condiments; save the onions!"

"Be right back, Lucy. I've gotta get some things out of the freezer," he replied.

Topaz shifted her eyes, watching the room.

The bald guy at the bar turned back to the Mexican again and shook his head. "...And personally, the whole group of them are just...pawns. It is bullshit. I can't... I can't even pretend to understand it. The police are making my stomach turn. It's a sad state when all this crap happens. And when someone tries to stop it, they're turned into a scapegoat."

"You going to go to the news with your story?" asked the Mexican gentleman.

"I'm no barking dog; I plan to pull more punches, now."

Topaz rolled her eyes, leaning back in the booth. She drummed her fingertips on the cheap Formica tabletop. Her free hand remained beneath the table.

Parker touched the comforting lump of a Glock in her pocket. Two .45 rounds for an emergency. Her safety net.

The ding of a door chime caught her attention. A man walked in with a burley torso. He passed the Mexican by the door and, for some reason, the half-drunk bald guy grew quiet and set his coffee down on the counter.

The new addition to the room approached Topaz and settled into her booth, eyes narrowed. His hands slipped beneath the table, then he leaned forward and whispered.

"Don't even make a move, Parker. I've got three guys outside right now with assault rifles. If I go down, they spray and pray and this place is totaled. You come with me or everybody gets dead, sweetie." He placed a handgun barrel against her knee, beneath the table. "See? I mean business."

The waitress returned, placing a plate in front of Topaz along with a cup of coffee, sweetened with cream. The lady turned to Topaz, took notice of the expression on Parker's face, and asked, "Is this man bothering you, honey?"

Again, the gun barrel jabbed into the side of her knee, reminding her that he would shoot her if she gave herself away.

"No, he's just a scumbag who's breaking up with me for my lecherous boyfriend. The loser was too cowardly to come and do it himself. I can handle it," she said, turning back to the man with a smirk.

Once the waitress walked away, mumbling her own commentary, the man spoke once more. "Very nice. I like the way you handled that. You can call me Mister Zukis."

"George, right? Shut the hell up. I'm not afraid of you or your gay little buddies out in the parking lot. You guys better quit while you're head," she said with a stern tone of warning.

He lifted a brow, reaching his left hand up from beneath the table to make a gesture for her to keep her voice down. "I don't think you understand, Parker. The four of us can stomp your guts out, bitch," he said quietly.

Topaz chuckled. "Four...you know, I seem to remember more of you douche bags. What happened, am I not worth the whole group?"

"Oh, it's not like that. A few of our boys had a little...accident on a rooftop the other night. But that's in the past. Remember your old man? He's gone. Then there's your Aunt Nichole Parker, oh and this boy, Vincent; I hear he died in your arms, kid. Your brother Fox is next," the man continued, in an attempt to break Topaz's spirit.

The bald man approached the table. George Zukis lifted his head, glaring up at the guy. From the look on Zukis' face, he stared at the bald man, first to size him up, secondly as if to try and place the man's face. Topaz decided the thug couldn't place the bald guy's face.

"Excuse me," he said, his voice gruff compared to earlier. "I couldn't help but overhear you talking about someone I thought I might know." The man offered Zukis a cold glare. "Did you mention Nichole Parker?"

"What if I did, what the fuck concern is it of yours?" George snapped, keeping his gun concealed beneath the table, next to Topaz's knee.

"And you don't even know who the hell I am," said the bald man, balling his hands into fists. His facial expression remained stern but void of the anger welling up within his chest - his eyes, however, showed Topaz the rest of the story. This man harbored a great deal of hatred for George Zukis. He folded his arms and waited to see if the thug recognized him.

George ground his molars together. "You're going to be dead if ya don't butt out of this conversation, asshole."

"I'm Reno Nevada," said the bald guy, pausing to take pleasure in the expression that washed over the thug's face when he realized why he recognized the face. Topaz watched George's face. He pieced it all together, in a slow, long, drawn out five seconds.

Reno Nevada without hair. George's confidence disappeared, replaced by a brief hint of confusion and curiosity.

Before Zukis could react, Reno added, "And Nichole Parker was going to be my WIFE." Reno reached his right hand up, grabbed George by the back of his neck and slammed his head into the table. "Vincent was my brother."

Reno took George by the hair then slammed his face into the table a second time, shattering Zukis' nose. A tooth rattled across the table. It stopped between the salt and peppershaker, blood glistening on one end of the crown.

The television dimmed to a low flickering glow. The lights blinked simultaneous to each attack. Their combined electronic energy flowed out of the objects and struck Reno, causing one of the men in the back corner to exclaim in surprise.

The power coursed through Reno's body and into the thug. "And you tried to kill me." Reno slammed the guy's face into the table a third time, passing the electricity through himself and into Zukis, electrocuting him.

The handgun's magazine exploded in George's hand. The bullet in the chamber went off, passing through Topaz's baggy pants, missing her knee by a distance too close to measure. She felt the heat of the round's proximity. The bullet slammed into the cushion of her seat.

The gun's magazine shattered, ripping the man's hand to shreds. The explosion deafened the entire room simultaneous to the man's face meeting the tabletop a fourth time.

Reno lifted the man's head back up by his hair. George expelled a breath, causing another tooth to pass over his bottom lip. It hit the table and skipped across the surface, stopping next to Topaz's coffee cup. Blood ran down his chin, pooling on his shirt.

Topaz, dazed from the deafening sound, shook her head. She noticed George's burley chest up close and realized he wore a protective vest beneath his jacket.

The ex-cop appeared unfazed by the deafening sound. He sneered and raised his left hand back, closed his fingers into a tight fist then smirked. Everything felt slow and out of sorts.

Topaz reached for her ears but from out of the window, the glint of an assault rifle shined in her eyes. She bolted forward and tackled Reno. They tumbled to the tiled floor.

Assault rifle rounds ripped through the windows and walls, shattering sugar containers and saltshakers. Glass rained down over them. The sensation of slow motion persisted for Parker.

Flecks of glass and plaster floated all around her. She placed her hands atop of Reno's head protecting him from the snow globe debris all around them. A metal lid from the salt bounced on the floor in front of her nose.

The burger blasted apart. Condiments exploded. She clenched her eyes to keep the salt from her face. Rifle rounds penetrated every object on the table. The thug slumped over, riddled with bullet holes. The remains of his gun clattered on the floor against Parker's hip.

She opened her eyes again and looked up.

Lucy, the waitress, climbed down behind her counter. The patrons who survived quickly dropped to the floor. One of them shrieked off key, still deafened from the initial explosion of George's handgun magazine.

Jim, the cook, withdrew out a shotgun from the back. He positioned himself on one knee and returned fire through one of the windows. The cook ducked back down behind the counter and pumped his weapon.

Nevada tried to sit up beneath her. He shook his head two quick times. Parker rolled off of him. Glass and chunks of plaster continued to float down from above.

"That was my goddamn cheeseburger and my last ten goddamn dollars," Topaz groused, almost directly into Reno's ear.

All at once, the assault rifles went quiet.

Reno rose to his knees, grabbed the motionless thug from the booth bench and pulled George close as a body shield.

"Sorry about your food, it sounds like they only had one clip for each of their guns. They sounded like M16s. Anyone here got a handgun?" No reply. He glanced back at Parker. Their eyes met. "You okay, Topaz?"

"Oh, so you do remember me, huh?" She nodded to his question, too embarrassed to admit she didn't recognize him at first.

"Stay down. I'm so pissed off I can't see straight, I'll be right back." He hefted George's motionless body up, taking a hold of his gear belt and the back collar of his armored vest.

"I knew Vincent." The words spilled out of her mouth without thinking. Topaz shook her head rapidly. Poor Vincent, she couldn't even tell this guy that she witnessed the boy's grisly murder.

"Yeah, he was a good kid. Now, I need to go out there and stomp some asses. Stay put," Reno told her. He shook his head and reached his hand up as if to run his fingers through hair that was no longer present. He brought his left hand back to the collar of the armored vest. He ground his knuckles against the nape of George's neck, forcing his head to stay tilted down.

Topaz groaned. "They were M4 carbines. If they have more than one magazine, those rounds will cut right through your 'body shield'; stay in here, you moron," she scolded, reaching up over the tabletop for her cheeseburger. It had a light layer of glass and plaster coating over the top of the bun. Her lips contorted into a moue of disgust and she threw the top of the bun on the floor, biting into the rest.

After a few bites, she looked up at Reno, who looked half-shocked at her.

"Fuck you, I'm hungry," she snapped.

"Your aunt was just as fiery, now stay down and shut up." He backed towards the door. George's feet dragged the floor. He turned about, facing Zukis towards the doorframe.

"You don't even have a gun! There are three men out there with assault rifles. You're going to get yourself killed, you dipshit. Fine, go do what you've gotta do," Topaz said, reaching up for her coffee. She glanced into the mug and frowned. It was coated with plaster and probably full of glass shards... Completely ruined.

Meanwhile.

Reno shook his head then trudged to the door. He shoved his 'shield' through the door. The men waiting outside pulled out their handguns and opened fire again. Reno clenched his fists at the back of George's collar and gear belt.

Reno continued towards the three guys in the parking lot. They continued to fire with handgun. Nevada ducked his head down behind George's shoulder. "It's obvious you jackasses only brought enough assault rifle ammunition to make a quick attempt on the girl's life. I'm willing to bet you only brought enough rounds for those pistols for if things got sour. Thanks for shooting your asshole point-man, though."

No one replied. They continued the sporadic discharges of their pistols. Reno kept focused, reminding himself of the bulb that pushed itself out of his palm the other night. The cut that healed itself. He wondered about the possibility of healing a gunshot wound.

With nothing else to lose, he continued forward, closing the gap between himself and the gunmen in armored vests and black flak jackets.

He counted. Three men fired fifteen rounds. "Here, you can have your pal back! Tell Krys Monroe you guys went up against Reno Nevada and got your asses handed to you!"

Reno, high on adrenaline, hefted the body up with a grunt. His planned it out in his head. Throw the body, bowl them over, and charge. He hurled George Zukis' body at them.

His anxiety and his frustrated emotional state boiled in his chest. Adrenaline raced through his blood. The body left his fingertips and flew through the air...

...An arc of lightning followed his fingertips, connecting his hands to the body. It slammed into one of the three gunman, electrocuting him on contact. He screamed in agony. Electric current consumed him, knocking him back ten feet.

The other two men quickly tried to fidget with an extra clip, to reload their pistols. Reno sprinted towards them, anger flashing in his eyes. The streetlights in the parking lot flashed brightly, shattering.

The explosive flash blinded and disoriented the two men. They threw their arms up to shield their faces from the flash just as Reno's fist connected with the man on the left.

Anger over Vincent and Nichole's deaths fueled the concussion of Reno's punch. The force of the strike broke the man's neck. His head snapped back from the force of the punch. It caused a loud pop. The gunman sagged to the ground, blood pooled from his nose and mouth.

Reno then turned about. He buried his boot in the last man's gut. The gunner doubled over, stunned and blinded.

Nevada grabbed the man by his hair and slammed his face into the nearest car hood, but not hard enough to kill or cripple him. No, Reno wanted answers. He restrained himself long enough to ask the big questions.

"Y-you've gone off th' ...the deep end," said the gunner, winded.

"Oh, it might surprise you to know I'm a trained investigator," Nevada sneered, his nose crinkled and his upper lip curled. "Who the hell are you working for," Nevada asked, his voice stern and emotionless.

"Eat shit; you ain't a cop, no more!"

Reno smirked, slamming the man's head into a car's rearview mirror, breaking it clean off. The glass shattered and sliced the man's cheek. He cried out. Nevada cleared his throat loud then asked again with the same emotionless tone, "Who are you working for?"

"He'll kill me if I tell, you'll kill me if I don't, so if I'm gonna die anyway! So listen close cause I'm only gonna say this once..." He took struggled to draw a shallow breath. "You...can kiss my ass, pig!"

Nevada swore under his breath. He slammed the man's head into the car window. The driver side window became a spider web.

The Buick's side window, layered with the same laminate used in windshields, didn't shatter. Nevada dropped the guy to his knees adjacent to the vehicle.

"I'll ask one more time," Reno said quietly. "For whom...the hell...do you work? Tell me your employer and I'll let you go back to him with a message; I won't kill you. I did that to two of your buddies tonight, so I was really hoping you'd be the one to have some sense."

The man got to all fours, forced down a deep breath then shouted, "Screw you, fucking pig! Not only did we kill your bitch, we all ran a train on her ass, too!"

Reno's anger flared. His pupils glowed. He reached down and palmed the back of the man's head. Raw current rushed into his head like an electric chair without a proper filter on the man's head. He screamed in agony. A wisp of smoke emanated from the thug's hair and parts of his clothing. "Stop, stop!" He screamed, his voice cracking.

The tighter Reno gripped his head, the more the man screamed.

Nevada slammed his face into the dented hood of the Buick one last time. His face connected with the metal frame. The current passed from Reno's hand, through his head, and into the Buick. Its Northstar engine grumbled to life.

Reno dropped the body to the ground. The car backfired and stalled out. The thug lay on the ground, convulsing. White film dribbled from his mouth.

The smell of burnt flesh and hair turned Reno's stomach. He felt nauseated. His shirt felt cold, drenched with perspiration. His breath, hot from the electricity, created steam in the cool December night air. "God dammit."

Nevada turned back to the cafe, took several deep breaths and opened the front door. "Who owns a blue Buick Lucerne?" No one answered. "Anybody? Good, it musta belonged to one of the thugs, now I don't feel so bad about making him eat it. I hope one of you people called emergency responders."

He approached the counter, doubled over it and threw up into the sink. Nevada took a moment to get at himself. He wiped his face with the backside of his sleeve and stood up. "Sorry. Okay, everyone, they're not going to shoot at you anymore."

Topaz quickly stood up. She approached Reno. Before letting him say a word, she lifted her hand and smacked him across the face.

Reno's eyes widened, jaw slack with shock. "W...wha'?"

"Just about everyone else in my life is dead. You're the one person, besides my brother, who is supposed to help me through this craziness...and you clock into a firefight without a gun?! You nearly got yourself killed! You ass, you're supposed to think things through! Just like your brother! You charged into danger feet first, eyes closed, without thinking things through!"

"What?"

"Just...nothing." She looked away and groused under her breath.

Reno rubbed the side of his face. "You hit pretty hard, Topaz."

"I don't know what Aunt Nichole saw in you," she added, slumping down into a booth seat.

"We can't stay here, Parker." Reno hooked a thumb towards the other end of the diner. "I've got a Monte Carlo parked outside. Let's go."

"What...? And what about the owners of this café?" she asked, shaking her head. "How can you be so callous? These people were shaken from the experience. The guy you were talking to at the counter is dead!"

"Insurance money will turn this place into twice the diner it was before. Let's get the hell out of here before more of them show up and finish this place off. C'mon, follow me, I'll drive."

"Fine. Don't even get a decent meal after paying for one. You're already on my shit-list, Reno Nevada," she said, walking towards the door with him.

Reno turned to the waitress, still ducked down behind the counter. He placed a twenty down as a tip. "Sorry. They were trying to kill the girl. You might have recognized her."

"Topaz Parker," said Lucy, her lipstick smeared at the left corner of her mouth. "I know who she is. I saw what you did out there. God Lord, first vampires, now all this. When I get that insurance money, I'm opening my next diner in Oakland or San Jose. Less drama."

"Uh...I have no idea what you're talking about, but okay." Reno turned from the counter and opened the door for Topaz. She passed through with a grunt.

"God, Parker, chill! I'll take you to Wendy's or something. They're open late or whatever. It's on me. Christ, just stop being pissed off at me, would you?" Nevada stepped out behind her, leaving the diner patrons confused and quiet, still in shock.

They argued all the way to his Monte Carlo. Reno opened the door for her. She pushed him away from the door then slumped into the car. Reno slid into the driver seat, prayed for the engine to start without problems. Elation coursed through him - the car turned over without issue. He pulled off the lot. In the rearview mirror, he saw emergency flashing lights from police and ambulances pulling into the lot at the other end.

"Where to now?"

Parker said nothing.

"God, stop being pissed off at me. I wasn't going to die. I cut my hand open the other day and it healed. I was cooked by a bolt of lightning in the rain and healed. I'm fine, okay? I went out there to intimidate those guys but they said something about your aunt and I lost my temper. I miss her, okay?"

"Yeah..." Topaz glared out the passenger window. In a soft tone, she said, "Me too."

"So you also knew my brother?"

"Shut up and drive. I need a minute."

X

---

X

December 3, 1:40am North San Francisco ...

** Krys Monroe shut the door behind her** self and sat down on a sofa in the swanky hotel suite. She offered a brilliant smile. "How're you feeling, dear?"

A teenaged boy looked up from his laptop. "Any news on my friend?" he asked.

"You know, I thought for sure that Mister 'F' would know where to find her. But he hasn't been able to do so just yet. How's your radiation therapy going?"

The teen offered Krys a boyish-faced grin. "You really haven't heard yet? As of this week, the whole ward is in remission. No trace of cancer from any of the patients."

"Oh sweetie! That's wonderful news! And how is your back today?"

"Well, uh, it still itches a little but your neurosurgeon is amazing. Yesterday, I walked across the room without help. The physical therapist was, like, 'whoa...' You shoulda' seen their faces."

"We really appreciate all the assistance you've given us in helping to cure Doctor Falcon's patients. Your ability to control radiation has saved a lot of lives. In time, you might even be able to cure the monster thing that hurt you. It's simply horrible to think those people are suffering as mindless creatures - the fact that you have the ability to help Doctor Falcon's patients is amazing. You're amazing, hon, and you're a really sweet boy."

"Thanks, Miss Monroe. I'm gunna stay focused. One day soon I'll be able to walk again."

"It's good to see you being optimistic. Oh, and one more thing."

"Yeah?"

She moved to his bed and sat down on the edge of the mattress. She reached for a gooseneck desk lamp and pointed it up so she could see his face. He smiled.

She smiled back. "Vincent Nevada, there you are. Hiding in the shadows and dim lighting. I wanted to see your face because you won't believe what I'm gonna tell you next." Krys offered a grin. "Remember your Civic?"

"Yeah." Vincent replied with a nervous chuckle and rubbed his hand at the back of his neck. "Who knew that my abilities could affect inertia and cause my own car to flip over? I'm sorry I blamed you that night I crashed in the rain. I haven't thought about that in a long while. What about it?"

"Well, I had it purchased from the junk yard and restored for you. And we even fixed that problem you had with the engine stalling on cold starts."

Vincent sat up a bit more in his bed. "Really? What was wrong with it?"

Krys laughed softly and leaned towards him. She riffed her fingers through his hair. "Oh, it's so silly. You had a lot of miles on it. You simply needed the valves to be realigned. It's good as new. I figured you could use the good news. If you continue to make such remarkable strides with physical therapy, you'll be driving again in no time, sweetheart."

"Wow. I can't wait to find Topaz and tell her how wrong we were about you and Dr. Falcon. We thought you guys had abducted us and were going to perform strange experiments on us."

Krys brought her hand to her chest and laughed off his words. "Oh, my goodness, what an imagination you have, Vincent."

"Yeah. She broke out because she misunderstood that you were trying to help her, and other surviving people with powers to keep us from dying because of that virus that only targets the supernatural."

"We've been dealing with sick people with strange abilities for a while now. We quarantine them just in case they're a danger to themselves. Can you imagine if someone had the ability to conjure fire? What if they got so sick that they couldn't control it and accidentally killed people, or themselvs? To be honest, I've never heard of someone being able to conjure fire, so don't get excited..."

"What if someone can accelerate the particles in the air?"

"There's that imagination again. Hmm, who knows Vincent," she trailed off with a knowing smile. "Your radiation is the closest I've seen. But I'm just giving you an example. I have to leave for a bit, but I just wanted to say hello and check on you."

Vincent smiled boisterously. "I appreciate it. My mini-fridge is fully stocked. I've got everything I need and I'm feeling great. Oh, and I was wondering if I could use the phone again to call my brother and let him know how I'm doing."

"Sure! I'll send Sire in with the satellite phone. Sorry we don't have wiring to your room. It'll be that way until we're finished with the hotel's renovations. But the good news is that will become the main focus soon, now that my nightclub is finished and open for business. Okay, take care sweetheart." She stood up and left his room. She shut the door behind herself.

A moment later, Krys stopped at another door down the hall, knocked, then stepped inside. "Sire. How are you?"

"Krys Monroe. To what do I owe the honor?"

"Do me a favor, please? Convince Vincent Nevada that he's had a nice little phone chat with his brother, Reno. Make it memorable if you like, but make it believable. Just like last week."

"Fine, fine." He stood up and straightened himself then rolled his eyes. "I've swayed presidents and congressional leaders to do my bidding. I've whispered into the ears of monarchs. You have me wasting my talents on some kid. It's insulting."

Krys narrowed her gaze. "We need him and his ability to control radiation. We're moving the whole operation out to the Atlantic Ocean soon. Without that 'kid' to control the power core, it will be August 23rd 2011 all over again. Only those earthquakes will be a hundred fold. The tsunami would wipe out the East Coast of America and the western shores of France, England and Africa. Let's have a little perspective, here, Sire. You're the only one with an ability that can mentally control that boy. If we keep him happy...he'll be useful. Perspective."

"Alright. You've sold me, Monroe. Let me go talk to him."

---

Next Chapter: https://www.sofurry.com/view/621823